Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla

Featured Welsh Content

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla takes place during the Viking invasions of Britain during the 9th century, and there is a strong Welsh presence within the game.

Known as Celtic Britons, Welsh characters speak a form of Old Welsh to represent the language used during this time period, particularly in the areas of present day Wales and border counties of England, such as Shropshire and Gloucestershire.

Middle Welsh was used as the basis for the Welsh language featured in the game, and was “reverse engineered” to craft a form of it that sounded even older.

The character Brigid speaks an unintelligible form of Welsh that voice actress Aimee-Ffion Edwards delivered by mixing Welsh and English words into sentences. The game’s narrative designer, Betty Robertson, whose family comes north Wales, points out that the English Brigid speaks is said in a north Walian accent.

Brigid makes reference to the Welsh Otherworld of Annwn, stating her mother and father walk there together.

Depictions of historical Welsh figures like Rhodri ap Merfyn, also known as Rhodri Mawr (Rhodri the Great), appear as characters in the game, with Rhodri being the King of Gwynedd and portrayed by Welsh actor Paul Amos.

Other Welsh characters that appear in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla include Angharad ferch Meurig (played by Aimee-Ffion Edwards), Gwriad ap Merfyn (Grahame Fox), Ynyr ap Cadfarch (Matthew Gravelle), Cynon, Modron, and Gwenydd. Further characters with names of Welsh origin include Gwilim and Tewdwr, while Welsh actor Rhys ap Trefor also voices in the game.

The collectible Treasures of Britain are versions of the Welsh artifacts known as the Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain that appeared in medieval Welsh texts.

Myrddin’s Cave is a location referencing the Welsh prophet Mryddin Wyllt, commonly associated as the wizard Myrddin (Merlin in English) from Arthurian legends.

Allusions to King Arthur continue with the Excalibur sword, known as Caledfwlch in Welsh, being obtainable inside the cave.

The Welsh folk tradition of Mari Lwyd is referenced, with the main character dressing up and wearing a horse skull during a festival.

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